1. education
2. school

HILights
February 2015
Mrs. Jennifer Russell, Principal
100 East Street, Pickerington, OH 43147
(614) 833-6385
IN THIS ISSUE
• Principal’s Message
• Dates to Remember
• LEADER Board
• School Scoop
• Library’s Nook
• Tray Talk
• Counselor’s Corner
• Nurse’s Notes
• PTO News
ATTACHMENTSP
• Breakfast Menu
• Heart Safe Flyer
• Birthday Book Club
Form
Contact Us
Main Office: 614-833-6385
Attendance Line:
614-920-6100
Petermann Transportation:
614-837-8525
District Office:
614-833-2110
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Dear Heritage Families,
We know that good two-way communication between families and
schools is necessary for your students' success. Not surprisingly, research
shows that the more parents and teachers share relevant information with
each other about a student, the better equipped both will be to help that
student achieve academically. With this in mind we hope to see many of
you at Parent-Teacher conferences on February 12th or February 18th.
Conference forms went home this week and are attached to the
newsletter as well.
Conferences give you a chance to ask questions about your child’s
progress. It is also a time for you and the teacher to work together as a
team to discuss ways you both can help your son or daughter. Before the
conference I encourage you to help your child understand that you and
the teacher are meeting to help him or her. Ask if there is anything they
would like you to talk about with their teacher and make a list of topics to
discuss with the teacher along with questions about academics and
behavior, you may want to talk to the teacher about your child’s
personality, concerns, habits, hobbies, and other topics that may help the
teacher in working with your child.
When discussing the conference with your child afterward, stress the
good things that were covered and be direct about problems that were
identified. Continuing to keep in touch with the teacher, even if things are
going well, can play an important role in helping your child do better in
school. When a child knows parents and teachers are regularly working
together, they see that education is a high priority requiring commitment
and effort.
Once again, we hope to see many of you for conferences on February
12th and 18th.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Russell
DATES TO REMEMBER
•
•
•
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•
•
•
•
•
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Feb 3
Feb 6
Feb 6
Feb 11
Feb 12
Feb 13
Feb 16
Feb 18
Feb 23
Feb 26
Mar 3
Mar 31
Book Bingo, 6:00-7:30pm
February Birthday Book Club forms due
Father/Daughter Dance
PTO Skating Party
Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
Hugs & Healthy Hearts at Heritage – Don’t forget to wear RED!
Make Up Day – School is on regular schedule
Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
PLSD State of the Schools & Celebration of Excellence
American Red Cross Blood Drive at Heritage; 2:00pm-4:00pm
STEM Night
Intradistrict Open Enrollment Transfer Request Deadline
This month’s LEADER Board
WHO:
WHEN:
WHERE:
WHY:
Heritage Family and Friends
February 3rd – 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Heritage Cafeteria
To have FUN and WIN books!
Cards cost 50¢ each (or 5 for $2.00)
Bring in canned goods for the Food Pantry
for a free Bingo Card! (one card per person)
Book
Bingo is BACK!
WeFamily
look forward
to seeing
WHO:
Heritage
and Friends
everyone
next
week
for
our
rdBook Bingo. We are
WHEN:
February 3 – 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
excited
to share Heritage
that members
of the Announcements
WHERE:
Cafeteria
Leadership
Team
will
be
there
to call
the numbers!
WHY:
To have FUN and
WINout
books!
Our very own Jump Rope & Friendship Leadership
Team will
be cost
performing
during
to
Cards
50¢ each
(orintermission
5 for $2.00)
entertain
us!
It
will
be
a
great
time
to
be
had
by all!
Bring in canned goods for the Food Pantry
WHO:
WHEN:
WHERE:
WHY:
Cards cost 50¢ eac
Bring in canned goods
for a free Bingo Card
For sale: Bottled water, popcorn,
chips and Ring Pops
For sale: Bottled
chips and R
WHO:
Heritage Family and Friends
All proceeds will go to support
All proceeds will
WHEN: The Leader
February
3rd – 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
in Me
The Lead
WHERE:
Heritage Cafeteria
WHY:will be a special
To have
FUN and by
WIN books!
There
performance
There will be a spec
the Jump Rope Leadership Team!
Cards cost 50¢ each (or 5 for $2.00)
for a free Bingo Card! (one card per person)
Bring in canned goods for the Food Pantry
for a free Bingo Card! (one card per person)
For sale: Bottled water, popcorn,
chips and Ring Pops
For sale: Bottled water, popcorn,
chips and Ring Pops
All proceeds
will go to support
CELEBRATING
THE 7 HABITS
All proceeds will go to support
Leader
Me children outside of school? Do you see a The
Are you seeing theThe
7 Habits
ininyour
positive
impact
on your family due
Leader
in Me
to the 7 Habits? As we have visitors to our office, we would like to show them how the 7 Habits can become a
part of There
our community.
will be a special performance by
There will be a special performance by
the
Rope
Leadership
Team!
It could be
anJump
example
of your
child using
WINWIN when playing with friends or siblings,
showing that they are BEGINNING WITH THE
END IN MIND by doing their homework or
chores before they played, or being PROACTIVE
and packing their book bag the night before so
that the morning rush was a little less hectic.
You can write it down on the form or simply
send an email to Mrs. Russell
([email protected]) or the classroom
teacher. Thank you for helping us spread the
word about how the 7 Habits are spreading!
Please take a moment to write up what you are
seeing at home.
Heritage Fa
February 3r
Heritage Ca
To have FU
the Jump Rope Leadership Team!
the Jump Rope L
Have you seen a difference?
•
•
•
Are you seeing the 7 Habits in your child’s behavior outside of school?
Have you noticed a change in the daily routine in your household because of the 7 Habits?
Are they using the 7 Habits to problem-solve with siblings and friends?
We would love to hear about how you are seeing the 7 Habits outside of school. The staff of Heritage is so
proud of how the students are using the 7 Habits that we would like to showcase how these habits transfer
to other parts of their lives.
Please share what you are seeing with us! We want to add your feedback to our display in the office and
also highlighting these on our website. We want to show our community what Great Leaders we have here
at Heritage!
SCHOOL SCOOP
PCMA FOOD PANTRY DRIVE
February 2nd – 13th is our annual
PCMA Food Pantry Elementary
Schools' Food Drive. Each of the
PLSD elementary schools will be
participating in this food drive. The PCMA Food Pantry serves residents of the Pickerington Local
School District, and has seen a tremendous increase for services throughout the community. Please
consider donating any of the following items to help our community.
The Pantry is currently low on the following items:
• Tuna/Canned Chicken
• Fruits (Peaches, Mandarin Oranges, Pineapples, Applesauce, Mixed Fruit)
• Mixed Vegetables
• Beans, Beans, Beans (Baked, Kidney, Black, etc.)
• Chili (with or without Beans)
• Diced Tomatoes
• Tomato Paste
• Stewed or Whole Tomatoes
• Laundry Detergent
• Diapers, Diapers, Diapers
• Shampoo
KISS LUNCHEONS
Kids Invite Someone Special Luncheons (KISS) for 3rd and 4th grades are coming soon! Mark your calendars!
•
•
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•
April
April
April
April
20th – Mrs. Kenney
21st – Mr. Genson and Mr. Keane
23rd – Mrs. Chapman and Mrs. Agan
24th – Mrs. Bristle and Miss Rogerson
Invitation letters will be going home on April 6 th.
HUGS AND HEALTHY HEARTS DAY
February 13 is Hugs and Healthy Hearts day at Heritage Elementary. During the day we will be showering our
community with love. Each grade level has chosen an organization and a meaningful project.
•
Kindergarten - making cards for the siblings of sick children at Children's Hospital
•
First Grade - making fleece blankets with books attached for patients at the James
•
Second Grade - making cat toys and collecting supplies for the Fairfield County Humane Society (a
speaker from the society will also talk to the kids)
•
Third Grade - sending hugs (made out of handprints and ribbon) to patients at Children's Hospital
•
Fourth Grade - coin collection for the Make a Wish Foundation (one of our 4th graders is going to
have a wish granted from the foundation this year)
In addition we will be creating an "All We Need is Love" wall in our building and will have a parent who is a
fitness expert doing heart healthy activities with our students during their lunch recess. Students may bring in
valentines to share with their classmates but no food or candy, please!
Did you know that the Pickerington Local School District was the first district in the country to become heart
safe? This means that we have our staff and one grade level in each building trained on how to do hands-only
CPR. There are now school districts around the country following in our footsteps. In order to keep our Heart
Safe initiative strong we will also be wearing red and collecting donations for the Fairfield Medical Center on
the 13th. Donations can be sent in with your child on February 13th.
SCHOOL SCOOP
A MESSAGE FROM THE PLSD DISTRICT OFFICE
HOW WE MAKE OUR DECISION TO DELAY OR CANCEL SCHOOL: This is not a decision we take lightly.
Regardless of the decision, there will almost always be parts of our community who feel a different choice
should have been made.
Our first priority is the safety of our children. When we begin evaluating the conditions of district roads – a
process that starts before 4 a.m. –we take many factors into consideration. PLSD is large and geographically
diverse, with some significant hills and winding roads. Some areas are cleared of snow before others; just
because the roads are clear in one part of the district does not mean they are clear in others. We also take the
forecast into consideration.
Whenever possible, we make “the call” before 5 a.m. and begin communicating that to the community.
We always balance our decision with the importance of providing the best possible education to our children.
Everyone agrees that, assuming the roads are safe, having children in the classroom is preferable to cancelling
classes for the day. We also take into consideration how delays and cancelations will impact working parents.
It is not always possible to make “the call” as early as every parent feels is ideal. This morning was a good
example of that. During the early morning hours, road and sidewalk conditions were good. Ice did not begin
building up until well into the process of transporting students to school. Even then, many roads in the district
were not icy.
THE STATUS OF CALAMITY DAYS: Currently, the district has taken four calamity days. One of those days will
be made up on Feb. 16, President’s Day. We still have two calamity days available before we must start
making up missed days. If that happens, any additional days will be made up starting May 26.
THANK YOU TO OUR BUS DRIVERS: The drivers who work for Petermann Transportation – the company we
contract with for bus services – do a consistently great job getting PLSD students to and from school safety and
on time.
Our drivers are well trained to handle all sorts of adverse weather conditions. You may also find it interesting
to know that buses are an incredibly safe means of transportation. Their weight and design help them manage
slippery conditions better than most automobiles!
PLEASE REMEMBER: When the decision to cancel or delay school is made, the district works as quickly as
possible to communicate that message to the community. As a reminder, we post this information to the PLSD
website and our Facebook and Twitter feeds; contact the local media; and use our One Call Now system to
phone and email parents. We use all of these systems in order to ensure we reach as many members of the
community as we can as quickly as possible. You can find links to all these resources at
www.pickerington.k12.oh.us
2-HOUR DELAY START TIMES
Please follow the times listed below when we are on a 2-hour delayed schedule.
Grade Level
Elementary 1st-4th
AM Kindergarten
PM Kindergarten
Regular
Start Time
9:15 a.m.
9:15 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
Regular
Dismissal Time
3:40 p.m.
12:00 p.m.
3:40 p.m.
2-hour Delay
Start Time
11:15 a.m.
11:15 a.m.
1:55 p.m.
2-hour Delay
Dismissal Time
3:40 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
3:40 p.m.
LIBRARY’S NOOK
BRUTUS
As you know, we have had Lanie, our American Girl doll, for students to “check out” as
a reward for being a great leader here at Heritage. But many of the boys were feeling
left out! So, BRUTUS, the official mascot of the The Ohio State University, has arrived
at Heritage Elementary! Yes, if your child is chosen for displaying outstanding
leadership skills at Heritage, they will get to bring Brutus home! Brutus comes with a
backpack and a journal, so that your child can journal the fun and exciting adventures
he or she has had with Brutus!!
IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT BRUTUS:
1. PLEASE RETURN HIM ON TIME! This includes his shirt, pants, backpack, journal and bag.
• If your child receives Brutus on Tuesday, Please return on Friday morning
• If your child receives Brutus on Friday, Please return on Tuesday morning
2. PLEASE TAKE CARE OF ME
• Keep me in a clean safe place, away from younger siblings & pets!
• Please do not cut my hair or draw on me!
• Please do not eat or drink when playing with me!
3. DON'T FORGET TO HAVE FUN!
TRAY TALK – FROM HERITAGE CAFE
AMIGO CAFE & RESTAURANT
The Lighthouse Team and Heritage Lunch Ladies were busy transforming the
cafeteria into an Amigo Restaurant on December 5th. The Light House Team
worked on making translated signs, fun facts and a flag of Mexico. The Lunch
ladies were busy with preparations displaying our Amigo Sign, and decorating
the cafeteria with cacti and sombreros and preparing our soft taco meal.
MENU CHANGE
February 10th
Sloppy Joe on mini buns
Homemade chicken noodle soup
fries, fruit and special treat and milk
NATIONAL SCHOOL BREAKFAST WEEK
National School Breakfast Week is March 2nd – 6th and this year’s theme
is “MAKING THE GRADE”. Breakfast participants will be given contest
coloring pages. These students will need to draw a picture of how you
feel before and after you have breakfast. Be creative! Some ideas: draw
a picture of how breakfast improves your mood, or you get an energy
burst, or how it makes you function for school. Coloring must include a
healthy food item, such as grains or fruit, and must have a caption (or
write about your picture) at the bottom of the coloring page. Coloring
contest pages will be given out the end of February and must be turned
into Mrs. Conley by March 3rd.
Nancy Conley
Head Cook
8:15 am to 1:45 pm
COUNSELOR’S CORNER
FEBRUARY CLASS LESSONS
We will continue our review of the 7 Habits this month by
focusing on Habit 6: Synergize-Together is Better! We will
learn what it means to work well with others and discuss why
it is important. Being a team player results in good solutions
and creative ideas. Students will learn to appreciate their
strengths while valuing and learning from other people’s
strengths, too. Working well with others is an essential skill for
all of us to be successful in our personal and professional lives.
The Leader in Me
WINTER COATS
If you know of any student who is in need of some warm
winter gear, please let your teacher or school counselor know.
We have gently used warm coats available.
Community resources:
Fairfield County 211- general assistance
Hands on Central Ohio (Franklin Co. 211)
Pickerington Food Pantry
(740) 687-0500
(614) 221-6766
(614) 834-0079
Tessa Gossett, School Counselor
[email protected]
[email protected]
SAD NEWS…
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of therapy
dog, Indy. Indy visited Heritage Elementary many times during the
past two years. He and his owner, Sandy, spent time in several of
our classrooms. We know students were very fond of Indy, and he
will be greatly missed.
Synergize
I value other people’s
strengths and learn from
them. I get along well with
others, even people who are
different than me. I work well
in groups. I seek out other
people’s ideas to solve
problems because I know
that by teaming with others
we can create better
solutions than anyone of us
can alone. I am humble.
Parents! Don’t forget to
print the bookmark for
you students!
NURSE’S NEWS
DENTAL NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE
Don’t forget! The Smiles Program Mobile Dentist is coming to Heritage Elementary on February 18, 2015!
SCHOOL AND ILLNESS
SHOULD YOUR CHILD STAY HOME?
Parents often have trouble knowing whether their child is too ill to go to school. The following guidelines will
help you decide.
IS MY CHILD TOO ILL TO GO TO SCHOOL?
Your child is too ill to go to school if he or she has any of the following symptoms:
• Seems very tired and needs bed rest (this is common with flu symptoms).
• Has vomiting or diarrhea.
• Becomes short of breath or has an increase in wheezing during normal activity.
• Has a cough that interrupts his normal activity.
• Has a temperature above 100°F by mouth.
• Has moderate to severe pain from earache, headache, sore throat, or recent injury. .
• Has yellow or green drainage from the eye(s).
• Breaks out in a rash.
FEVER
Your child should not go to school if his temperature is above 100°F. He or she may return to school 24 hours
after his temperature is below 100°F without the use of fever-reducing medication such as Tylenol or Motrin
and he or she is feeling better.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASE
A contagious disease is one that can be spread by close contact with a person or object. Examples of
contagious diseases are: chickenpox, the flu with vomiting or diarrhea, colds, "runny nose," strep throat, and
"pinkeye." A disease is most often contagious 24 hours before the child shows signs of illness. It is very hard to
prevent the spread of some germs, especially in a school classroom. Good hand washing will help prevent the
spread of germs.
• Your child should stay home from school if he or she has a contagious disease to keep from
spreading it to others.
• If your child has chickenpox or strep throat, ask your doctor when he or she may return to school.
Generally, children who have active chickenpox should not return to school until all the lesions are
dried and crusted. Children with strep throat should be on antibiotics for 24 hours and have no fever
before returning to school.
• If an antibiotic medicine is prescribed for your child, be sure he has taken the medicine for at least
24 hours before returning to school. Remember - the antibiotic medicine should be taken as prescribed
until it is all gone.
REMEMBER
• School is a child’s work. It is important for normal development. If your child is absent often, it may be
harder to keep up with the class. It is important that your child does not miss more than a few days of school a
year due to illness.
• Ask your doctor when you are not sure about keeping your child home.
Source reference: Nationwide Children’s Hospital Helping Hand
Tami Tackett, RN, BSN
School Nurse
At Heritage every Wednesday
PTO NEWS
BIRTHDAY BOOK CLUB
CALLING ALL FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS! Our Birthday Book Club is extremely popular! If you would like to
honor your child’s birthday with a donation of a book to our school library, please complete the attached form.
Forms must be received by Friday, February 6th to be included in the February Celebration! Please see the
form for more details.
PTO POSITIONS
We are starting to make plans for the 2015-16 school year and we have several positions opening up due to
students moving on to middle school. Please consider getting involved! Contact Trisha Castellon at (614) 2052722 or [email protected] if you would like to learn about opportunities.
SKATING PARTY
Our next skating party will be February 11 th and it will be a FROZEN theme! Mrs. Kenney’s class won the
Golden Skate Award from our last party. Will they win again?
PTO HELP
We are looking for assistance with the following events!
• Mother/Son Event
• School Carnival – we need committee members! Please contact Sam Frost at
[email protected] if you are able to help
• Silent Auction - items are being collected. We are looking for any businesses that are willing to
donate an item or service. Businesses will be promoted before and during the carnival. Please contact
Julie Bechert at [email protected]
• Rooster Cards - We are selling Rooster Cards $20 and it gives you 10% off. Please contact Melissa
Shaffer at [email protected]
Questions? Please contact Julie Bechert, PTO President, at (614) 581-0961 or [email protected]
Please check out the PTO link on the PLSD Heritage website for meeting minutes, contacts, and calendar.
How Common is Sudden
Cardiac Arrest?
Each year, 424,000 people in the U.S.
(more than 1,000 per day) experience
EMS-assessed out-of-hospital nontraumatic SCA, and nine out of 10
victims die. This is roughly equivalent
to the number of people who die
from Alzheimers’ disease, assault with
firearms, breast cancer, cervical cancer,
colorectal cancer, diabetes, HIV, house
fires, motor vehicle accidents, prostate
cancer and suicides combined. In fact,
the incidence of sudden cardiac death
is nearly 10 times higher than the
incidence of death from breast cancer.
The American Heart Association
estimates that nearly 10,000 youth die
from SCA. Annually, one in 50 high
schools will experience an SCA event on
school property.
February is
American HEART
Month
Is Sudden Cardiac Arrest the
Same as a Heart Attack?
No. A heart attack (or a myocardial infarction) occurs
when part of the heart’s blood supply is reduced or blocked,
causing the heart muscle to become injured or die. It has been
described as a “plumbing problem” in the heart. The heart
attack victim is awake and may complain about one or more
of the signs and symptoms of heart attack. In contrast, the
SCA victim is not awake and needs immediate help.
While a heart attack can lead to SCA, there are many other
causes, including:
• Thickening of the heart muscle (e.g., Hypertrophic
Cardiomyopathy, Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular
Dysplasia).
• Heart rhythm disorders (e.g., Brugada syndrome, long QT
syndrome, Wolff Parkinson White syndrome).
• Heart valve disorders (e.g., Mitral Valve
Prolapse).
• Other causes of SCA among people
who do not have heart disease
include recreational drug use,
electrocution, and commotio
cordis, a disruption in the heart
rhythm due to a sudden blow to
the chest.
• When SCA occurs, the heart stops
beating in an effective, organized
manner. As a result, blood is no
longer pumped throughout the
body. The person suddenly passes
out and appears lifeless, except for
abnormal “gasping,” which may
last for several minutes.
How should sudden cardiac arrest be treated?
• Occasionally, SCA victims
SCA victims can survive if they receive immediate
experience 10-20 seconds of
CPR and are treated quickly with defibrillators.
seizure activity (shaking of the
To be effective, this treatment must be
arms and legs) at the onset of the
delivered quickly—ideally, within
event, as the brain stops receiving
three to five minutes after
blood and oxygen from the heart.
collapse.
401 N. Ewing St. • Lancaster, Ohio 43130
740-689-6893 • www.fmchealth.org
What is the Snider
Community Heart
Watch (SCHW)?
Snider Community Heart Watch
Achievements:
• Hosted the 7th Annual SADS (Sudden Arrhythmia Death
Syndrome) International Conference.
• Developed the Hands on Practical Experience (HOPE)
training (compression only CPR) that has been adopted
internationally by the American Safety and Health
Institute.
• Trained over 11,000 students in compression only CPR
using the HOPE program.
• Installed nearly 300 AEDs in our community through
our Public Access AED program.
• Developed Heart Safe School Accreditation and have 21
accredited schools.
• Developed Heart Safe Business Accreditation and have 15
accredited businesses.
• Piloted Heart Safe University Accreditation.
• Provided numerous educational opportunities to schools,
businesses and civic organizations.
• Provided annual Community Provider CPR training free
of charge.
• The Snider Community Heart Watch is comprised of
Fairfield Medical Center employees and community
members/leaders.
• To date all services have been provided
without fees for service.
The SCHW was created in 2011
to assist our community to better
respond to cardiac arrest. The goals
of the SCHW include:
• Increase awareness of sudden
cardiac arrest.
• Increase the number of people
trained in compression
only CPR.
• Increase the number of AEDs
available in our community.
• Increase survival rates of
sudden cardiac arrest in our
community.
Do Most Sudden
Cardiac Arrest
Victims Survive?
On average, only 10.4 percent
of EMS-treated non-traumatic
SCA victims of any age survive.
Survival rates among young SCA
victims is somewhat lower (5.4
percent). However, when victims
are treated quickly, their chances
of survival improve dramatically.
If bystanders provide CPR and
use an AED to treat the victim
before EMS arrives, survival rates
increase to 38 percent. In other
words, bystanders who take action
by calling 9-1-1, starting CPR, and
using the nearest AED can mean
the difference between life and
death for victims of sudden cardiac
arrest. For every minute without
CPR and defibrillation, the victim’s
chance of survival decreases by
7-10 percent.
Reference: Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, 2014
Join the Heritage Elementary Birthday Book Club!
Celebrate your birthday, or other special occasion, by donating a book to the
Heritage library. With a $14.00 donation, you can enjoy choosing one of the new
books to be added to the library’s collection. The book will be personalized with
your name and you will be the first student to check out the book and share it
with your family for two weeks. When the book is returned, it will become part of
the library’s permanent collection and will be enjoyed by students for years to
come. A photograph of you and your book will be taken and displayed with the
other Birthday Book Club Members. Thank you in advance for your support and
for helping to build a great Heritage Elementary School Library!
Heritage Birthday Book Club
Student’s Name
Birth Month & Day
Teacher
Please return this form to your teacher with a $14.00
check payable to Heritage PTO. If you have any
questions, please contact April Fulton at
[email protected] or (740)862-6962.
Grade